MP to urge action on refugees at Westminster

Published:16:01Friday 04 September 2015

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Kirkintilloch East MP Stuart McDonald says he has been inundated with emails from local residents demanding that the UK Government agrees to take on a bigger share of responsibility for refugees caught up in the Mediterranean crisis – and has promised to take that case to Parliament this week.

Mr McDonald is the SNP spokesperson on immigration, asylum and border control at Westminster, and has previously called in Parliament for the UK to take on more refugees.

He said: “Recent news stories have clearly had a huge impact on local people, and it has been amazing to see the response in terms of calls for action and offers of support.

“Up until now David Cameron has been utterly intransigent in his view that the UK would not take on more refugees.

“But it seems that public and political pressure is beginning to sway him. Not only should the UK be taking on a greater share of responsibility for offering shelter to these refugees, but it should be playing a full part in agreeing a coordinated EU response – no single country can cope with this alone.

“I congratulate campaigners and look forward to making their case in Parliament”